Online dating in turmoil as EU rules lonely hearts ads must not discriminate

The dating world is in chaos after the European Court of Justice ruled that Lonely Hearts adverts were subject to the same legislation that protects jobseekers from discrimination.

The test case was brought by Deborah Jarrow, 42, who claims her chances of finding true love have been unfairly restricted on the grounds that she is too old, too young, too dumpy, too female or too devoid of a good sense of humour – a point which she ably proved by taking the case to Court.

Ms Jarrow cited a number of personal adverts in Court, including one which she believed was posted by her ‘soulmate’. ‘I saw an advert on a dating website from a person whose interests included costume dramas, cats and baking, which match mine almost exactly,’ she said. ‘I clicked to say I was interested, but a few days later got a message back saying I had been turned down on the grounds that I was not a man. Excuse me, but is this the 1950s?’

Finding in favour of Ms Jarrow, the Court awarded the plaintiff a date with her alleged soulmate, a 62 year old woman from Barnsley, with costs to be shared equally. But when asked afterwards if things had gone well, Ms Jarrow said: ‘We had a lot in common, yes, but she was about a size 22 with verbal diarrhoea and a perm, but at no point in her advert did she describe herself as ‘bubbly’.